My eye doctor (ophthalmologist if you prefer) increased an eyedrop prescription from a drop in each eye twice a day to three times a day.
Walgreens gives me a 10ml bottle and charges the rate for a 30 day supply. At the window I ask whether 10ml will last 30 days. The pharmacist says it 'should.'
I used google and found that 10 ml of a thick solution (which this is) would provide around 120 drops. I need 180 drops for 30 days (what we're supposed for those months that have 31 days I have no idea). I called Walgreens and was told over the phone after she 'checked the computer' that the supply was for 25 days though they were happy to charge the full monthly co-pay.
At this point Walgreens is saying that they will order a 15ml bottle (with a sigh evidently because 'they don't usually carry that size'). I haven't opened the box the prescription came in so I'm taking it back and supposedly I'm going to get a 15ml bottle in it's place (don't hold your breath).
To the pharmacist at Walgreens I said I was concerned that they would give me a 25 day supply, charge me the rate for a months supply and never say a word about it. What were they going to do when I came back early to refill the prescription? The answer is they cannot fill the request with part of a bottle. Well I know that. As if I would accept an opened bottle. Good grief. What about prorating the charge. That concept, evidently, is taboo.
[Note: I like the pharmacist herself. I assume she's just caught up in the system and has to work within the environment. Pharmacists are dependent on their corporate bosses and the insurance companies. They are not accountable to us the customers. There must be a great deal of strain in the job as they have to deal directly with us, the customer, while following the money grubbing directives of the corporate mafia.]
I called AARP, who sells this insurance coverage. I explained what had happened at Walgreens and explained that I was told that Walgreens would supply a 15ml bottle and that I was calling to express a concern about how the program was administered. I was concerned that Walgreens filled my prescription with a quantity (est 25 days worth) that they knew would not last for the month and that when I mentioned that they didn't really seem concerned. The first response from the AARP rep was 'yes?' as if that sounds right to me. There's no point to trying to recall the rest of the conversation. It's like talking to a wall. I don't think they even understand the concept of fairness. If they offer a policy with a $30.00 co-pay for 30 day supply then for $30.00 one should receive a 30 day supply. If because of the arbitrary size of certain medications that is not possible then prorate the co-pay. This is absolutely incomprehensible to them. Does not compute, period. Anyway the conversation ended with her putting me on hold to check on something. I was on hold for what seemed like quite a while. When she came back on the line she apologized for leaving me on hold so long and said she was going to transfer me to an 'expert' (I think she said expert) in 'this.' Well then I went on what seemed like permanent hold. I hung up after what seemed like a long time (I didn't time it).
Voilà, problem solved, from their perspective at least.
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